It's time to start prepping for this year's Reads of Awe bingo!
Reads of Awe is a Jewish high holidays themed readathon where the goal is just to read more Jewish books. Books about Judaism, books with Jewish authors, however you define it.
Reads of Awe was started by my friend Zoe, of blessed memory, who passed away suddenly during the high holiday season last year. My local JCC is continuing the tradition in her memory. (As of right now, they don't seem to have anything on their website about it, though it has been included in the weekly email. If they share anything publicly I'll also share that here.)
The bingo card is meant to help offer suggestions, not limit you, so read whatever inspires you. And if you are filling out a bingo card, feel free to count a book for as many spaces as it fits.
You can start your reading early during Elul or wait until Rosh Hashanah. You can stop at Yom Kippur or read through Simchat Torah. It's all what you make it. If you're a big reader anyways, try to make your reading a little more Jewish during this time of year. If you're not really a reader, try to add just one or two things, even if it's just a poem or a short story, even if you listen to it as an audiobook, to enhance your holiday experience. If you're a slow reader, give yourself more time or just pick one or two things to read and savor. That's worth doing even if you read pretty quickly.
Over the coming weeks as we are rapidly approaching the high holidays (I know it's not even Elul yet, but time seems to be flying), I'll be sharing book suggestions for each of the prompts on the bingo card.
Please help me spread the word and make Reads of Awe part of your high holiday experience!
